realestate.com.au launches AI property search suite

realestate.com.au has launched NextGen Now, a suite of five AI and immersive property search tools, and extended its AI Assistant to all users across iOS, Android and web.

The suite combines tools for buyers and real estate agents: AI Assistant, AI Search, Campaign Assist, iGUIDE interactive property tours and Property Walkthrough Reels.

AI Assistant is a member feature that lets users ask property questions in a chat format. Users can use it to discover properties, assess affordability, compare options, and move towards an enquiry or inspection within the same conversation.

AI Search adds a conversational layer to the standard search process. Instead of relying only on filters, users can describe what they want in their own words.

For agents, Campaign Assist uses consumer intent signals and PropTrack automated valuation model data to suggest ways to improve listing performance and prepare talking points for vendors. The platform is also pushing richer listing formats through 3D tours, floorplans and short-form vertical videos.

Search patterns

Alongside the launch, realestate.com.au published early findings on how Australians are using AI-led property search on its platform. The figures suggest users often begin with broad descriptions of lifestyle and travel needs before narrowing to specific locations.

The data shows 59% of AI search sessions start wide, with users searching by lifestyle goals or commute before focusing on particular suburbs. Another 32% include a commute or travel radius, while 18% specify an exact travel time.

The findings also point to less conventional search language. According to the platform, 40% of AI searches ask about architectural style or aesthetic, or about property condition and renovation potential.

Users also tend to refine requests as they go, with 72% adjusting their search at least once during an AI conversation.

That matters for agents because listings may need to reflect the language buyers now use when searching. If searches are shaped by lifestyle, travel time and subjective descriptions of a home, agents may need to provide more descriptive, detailed listing content for the tools to match properties accurately.

The launch reflects a broader shift in digital property search away from fixed filters such as suburb, bedroom count and price range as the starting point. Buyers are increasingly using natural language to describe how they want to live, the type of neighbourhood they prefer, and the trade-offs they will accept on distance or condition.

In practical terms, that could favour platforms that can interpret looser, more personal prompts and connect them with listing data. It also increases the value of richer visual material, especially for buyers who want to rule properties in or out before attending an inspection.

Interactive 3D tours and floorplans are designed to help users assess layout and flow remotely. Property Walkthrough Reels target mobile users with short videos intended to give a quick sense of a home.

Agent focus

realestate.com.au is positioning part of the package as a way for agents to secure more listings and improve campaign results. Campaign Assist is the clearest example, using internal search and pricing data to shape recommendations for vendors and agents during a campaign.

The company's messaging also suggests that being "AI ready" may become an emerging standard for listing quality. That means listing descriptions, imagery and other content may need to be detailed enough for conversational search tools to interpret effectively.

REA Group Chief Product Officer Jonathan Swift said early data showed users were providing more detail about their needs when using AI-led search.

"Our early research into how consumers are using AI to search for property on our platform highlights that people engaging with this intelligent search experience are more proactive in sharing detail about their property objectives. Insights gained from this detail enable us to better meet consumer needs and ultimately help us connect our customers with high-quality leads. The suite of NextGen Now products and features are designed to make it easier for agents to create immersive, AI-ready listings that speak the same language buyers are using in their search, helping them find the right property faster," Swift said.